Angel: Sorry it took so long for this chapter, Christmas and stuff came up. I do not own anything but I do own Kairi, Selena The Siren, and the baby! oh and of course Damian, and the dragons belong to me too so no stealing with out asking me first to use them, or if you want to draw my OC's with the characters, I need someone to draw Damian if anyone wants to try? what he looks like is in chapter seven. Now enjoy this chapter~

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Anise's Adventure: Chapter 8

Anise POV

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I was putting on a heavy jacket, boots, mittens, and a hat Nephry gave me. Everyone else was doing the same, but we were of course wearing all different colors like always. Guy was wearing a light brown color, Sync of course got the green color that matched his hair and eyes, Jade had a dark blue color the same as his uniform, Natalia had a pale green color that was almost blue, and I, of course, was wearing my usual pink. What was even cooler, Nephry even gave us all goggles so we could see in the snowstorms around Mt. Roneal.

I finished packing all the things I would need, grabbed Tokunaga off the bed, and put him where he belonged: on my back. I left the room I rented, closing the door behind me and saw Guy and Noelle talking in front of the staircase. I quickly went over to them before they went down the stairs, and ended up falling on my face as I ran to them, catching them off guard.

"Ow!... A little help, you guys?" I reached my hands up to them so they could pull me up, which they did immediately while chuckling at my clumsiness. "Thanks, sorry about that. So, you ready, Guy?"

"You startled us when you appeared out of nowhere like that!"

I smiled sheepishly at Guy and rubbed behind my head. "Sorry, Guy, Noelle." We hurried down the stairs to meet the others, who were already waiting for us. "Sorry for the wait, guys! Let's go!" I turned to Noelle, "Noelle you should stay here and stay warm, and probably make sure the Albiore's engine doesn't freeze over again in case we need to leave on short notice."

"Sure...be safe, Guy." Noelle stood on tip-toe to kiss Guy on the cheek.

"Of course, now let's get going."

Everyone walked outside into the cold, and immediately left Keterburg. Practically the second we left the gates, a strong blizzard hit us. We quickly put on our snow goggles and walked forward through the blizzard.

It sure was difficult to walk through a blizzard. I didn't remember it being this hard the last time we went to Mt. Roneal three years ago. I kept stopping, always walking behind the others. I felt like I was slowing them down, and I wanted to push myself through this stupid blizzard, but the more I did that the more my body got tired of it.

I gasped, tripping over something and falling into the snow. I was trying to catch my breath but I couldn't breath right with the blizzard hitting us so hard, I'd never seen a blizzard like this one, it was unnatural.

I felt a warm hand grab mine and pull me up against them, I didn't care who it was, and I wrapped my arms around the person as tightly as I could with the harsh blizzard hitting us. After a while of pushing ourselves through the harsh blizzard, we stopped at the same place we fought Sync, Largo, and Legretta before the avalanche hit us. I let go of the person to say thanks, but I blushed when I found out I was holding onto Jade!

"Th-thank's Colonel."

I was weak in the knees, and I didn't even know if it was the harsh blizzard or Jade making my legs feel like jelly when he smiled at me.

"I couldn't just let the Fon Master freeze to death, now could I? We are close by...and perhaps there's a dragon living in this secret passage like the rest of them."

I almost wanted to pout like I usually did when I was thirteen, but I held it back and got serious. The sooner this was over, the sooner I got to see Tear in her wedding dress, and tease Luke, too. We found the clearing where we landed when the avalanche put us there the last time, and went into the passage way, seeing nothing weird about anything.

"That's odd...nothing weird is happening inside here, but a blizzard is going on outside...interesting."

"Interesting indeed. But nonetheless we should keep going. We need to find the dragons lair and get some answers."

When we all entered the secret passage we lifted our goggles up on our heads, but some of us just took them off and put them in their jacket pocket. I was awed at the site, everything was all ice! the passage ring was frozen solid, no wonder there was a blizzard. But how did it keep the area floating on the miasma? Was the Sephiroth tree frozen over too?

Jade went to look at it, and found the secret room of the dragon. I just hoped this dragon wasn't berserk. I stopped in my tracks while the others walked into the secret room, remembering Damian's words about the Daathic Fonic Artes.

Should I try to learn them? I want to protect everyone...but what would happen to me if I screwed up? Damn it! Why couldn't I choose?!

"Anise..."

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Sync standing in front of me with his arm's crossed, giving me the look that says he knows something's wrong and he's sick of my bullshit or something.

I shook my head, putting on the fake smile I usually had on. Why did I always have to use a fake smile on my friends? I wanted to tell Sync and the others what Damian said, but I was hesitant to tell them. Maybe I should tell Sync. He was one of Ion's replicas, and he could use some Daathic Fonic Artes... Maybe he would be able to help me decide.

"Sorry about that, Sync! Let's go see the dragon!" I pumped my fist in the air and skipped past Sync, who was watching me with narrowed eyes.

When Sync and I walked into the huge room, where everything was frozen solid and a sparkling light blue, a strong feminine voice boomed around the room.

"How dare you enter my home! You humans are nothing but leeches! Now begone, before I turn you into human icicles!"

I was awed at this dragon's beauty, her body was encased in ice itself, the wings on her back were like an ice scepter. Her claws were like they were made of crystal. Her scales were a turquoise color, and on her forehead was a crystal made by ice.

I had to stop admiring her beauty and move forward.

"We are here to figure out why the blizzard outside is so strong. Please, do you know why?"

The female ice dragon put her head down to my level, giving me an intimidating look. I closed my eyes tightly, tensing up. My body felt the cold air when the dragon breathed out an icy cold breath.

"Hmph! And why should I tell you, Human? All you human's do to our kind is destroy us. Your kind is power hungry, especially that human that came by to try and control me before he realized he could not."

"Not all humans are bad, we are here to help both your kind and our kind...that guy you mentioned is the reason your brothers and sister are going berserk! Except for Boreas and Hedra were not affected by it. Pyra was the only one that went berserk so far. You have to help us, please! I want to save your kind as much as I want to save my own kind."

I hoped she would help us. If she didn't, how were we going to figure out why the weather was acting up? If only I could help in some way. My mind went to Damian when he offered to teach me the Daathic Fonic Artes, why didn't I say yes to that? Probably so I didn't end up like Mohs... I shivered, I didno't want to turn into some ugly monster.

"Hmph, you humans are very stubborn...I will not assist you with the blizzard problem until you take care of a monster problem outside of my home. If you do take care of the monster, I'll think about helping you humans to stop the blizzard."

I couldn't help but smile at her, "Thank you...?"

"...Prunia, I am the Ice Dragon of Mt. Roneal. You will find the monster outside, near my home. It is a very tricky ice monster that takes the form of dead people from your memories. So if I were you, I would not think of anything but killing it, as it likes to play with your minds and create your nightmares... Now begone! And don't come back until you have slain it and brought back a part of its body as proof."

I bowed in respect, "Thank you, Prunia. Come on, guys! Let's go kill the monster."

Everyone nodded and left the secret passage way. We spent the next few hours looking around for signs of the monster until Natalia pointed out in front of us, a strange-looking creature we hadn't seen before. I told everyone to get ready, hoping we could take care of this monster and get Prunia's help.

I took Tokunaga off my back and made him grow before jumping onto its back, making him charge at the ice monster. I made Tokunaga slash at it with his claws, then yelled out an Arte.

"Dual Dragon Surge!" I quickly dodged away from it's ice claws, which suddenly turned huge!

"Energy Blast!" I was surprised to see Jade protected me from the monster's rapid claw attacks.

I was close to getting hurt, it was getting too fast for me to dodge or block. I yelled out a 'thank you' to Jade while I made Tokunaga run away from the monster to give me enough time to cast my fonic artes.

"Negative Gate! Sync! Guy! I sealed it's movement, attack with all you got!" I called out. They listened, and used all their power.

I started to chant my Fonic Arte again, "Bloody Howling!" It hit the monster, but the seal went away and the monster didn't seem happy. It started to glow for a few moments, and when the glowing faded, I saw Ion in its place. I froze on Tokunaga, looking wide eyed at Ion...no, Ion was dead. This was just an Illusion!

But why can't I move to attack it? Everyone else was still attacking Ion. His whole body glowed again, but this time it made Guy and Sync get blasted backwards, sending them almost at the end of the cliff, but thankfully they stopped before they got too close.

Natalia started using her healing Artes on Guy and Sync right away, while the monster that took Ion's form started to attack me.

I quickly dodged, but it was like it knew I was going to dodge to the left side, and its claws grew big again, slashing Tokunaga and making me fall off of him hard in the snow.

"Ow, oh crap!" I quickly dodged the huge claw that Ion's form had gotten, no thanks to me. I was thinking of Ion again.

"Anise!"

I ducked while running from the monster to where Sync and Guy were, Guy charged at the monster that used Ion's form.

"What's wrong with you?! Go back to Tokunaga while we distract that monster." Sync quickly jumped in the air and came down on the monster with his fist.

I quickly ran over to Tokunaga, but I wasn't fast enough. Somehow the monster got past Guy and Sync, and went after me. I side jumped when the monster slammed down it's big claws where I used to be.

"Anise! Don't just stand there, get to Tokunaga!" Sync yelled at me.

"I'm trying!" I was getting so frustrated, and he wasn't helping!

I smacked my small staff to it's head hard enough to stagger it, so I could get to Tokunaga. I quickly jumped on his back, then attacked the monster again.

"Soaring Blast!" I made Tokunaga jump in the air and hurl a fonon blast to the ground when the monster stopped staggering around.

"Everyone, keep that monster at bay while I use a powerful arte. It will take a while to cast." I looked at Jade, seeing him start to cast. A fonic glyph appeared under his feet, and from the white-green fonons I knew immediately what he was going to cast.

"Right! Everyone, let's give Jade some time! Natalia stay back and heal if anyone get's hurt, Sync and Guy, attack its sides! I'll get its back!" everyone nodded and did what I told them to.

We held it off, giving Jade enough time to cast his most powerful arte.

"I, who stand in the full light of the heavens, command thee who opens the gates of hell! Come forth divine lightning! This ends now! Indignation!"

The monster was probably dead the second the giant pillar of lightning struck it. At least it wasn't in Ion's form anymore, thank Yulia for that. It disappeared, leaving behind a claw.

"We have proof for Prunia, now we can stop this blizzard before it get's too bad." Guy walked over to the claw and picked it up.

"Let's go back to Prunia."

I still couldn't believe that the monster took on Ion's form. Well... Prunia did tell us that it could take on any form if that person was dead. Guy brought out the claw to me, and we all made our way back to Prunia to show her the claw.

"This is the proof that we took care of that monster...can't you please tell us how to stop the blizzard?" I hoped to Yulia she would help us.

"Hmm, you did kill that annoying monster that was causing me nothing but trouble...I am a dragon of my word, Human. I shall meet you outside."

"Oh, okay. Thanks, Prunia!"

Everyone walked out of the secret passage room. I was about to head outside too, but Jade put his arm in front of me, making me stop.

"Colonel?"

"While Prunia deals with the blizzard, we need to talk." he wasn't looking at me when he said that, just staring forward. That didn't seem like a good sign.

"...What is it, Colonel?"

"You have been behaving rather strangely since we met Hedra, and you're acting like you're trying to get yourself killed. Especially when we went against that ice monster."

"So? Nothing's wrong. Can't you just stay out of my problems?!" I was getting defensive because I knew he would find out. Would he be upset with me if he knew Ion's death still haunts my dreams? No, why would he care about me anyways? I'm just an annoying girl, and he would never know how much I...whoa! was I about to think those words?!...Do I?

"...Tell me, Anise, what did the monster turn into when you froze mid-battle?"

My eyes widened, he knew I saw the monster turn into Ion. I clenched my fists tightly at my sides while looking down at the snow, narrowing my eyes and trying not to let the tears show.

I didn't say anything, because why could I say to that?

I heard Jade sigh in a disappointing way, and I lifted my head up to see him walking ahead of me, not even bothering to say anything. That big jerk!

I was left alone with my thoughts.

Maybe I should have taken Damian's offer...Could he still be in Keterburg? After all this was over I had to find him, and then everyone would see I wasn't weak, and Jade couldn't stop me.

I would show him...I would show everyone that I could learn how to use the Daathic Fonic Artes and become a proper Fon Master.

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Beta'd by IHaveNoIdea8

Angel: poor Anise, she's trying so hard and yet well she accept Damian's offer? or well someone stop her before that happens. There's some sad news, my beta IHaveNoIdea8 well nto be me beta, but I'm looking for someone who well beta this story that I can trust, and well I need someone to beta not only Grammer, spelling ect. send me a message or leave a review telling me you want to beta this story...I also have you tell the person who well be beta this story my plot I well be using. Thanks to all the people who reviewed, faved this story, and fallowed it and also faved me. Ciao~